Car-fender



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Patented Mar. 15,1898.,

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G. F. RADCLIFFE 8v J. C. SLUTZ.

GAR FENDER.

No. 600,596. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

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GEORGE F. RADCLIFFE AND JOHN C. SLUTZ, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,596, dated March 15, 1898.

` Application filed J'une 14,1897. Serial No. 640,646. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern,.-

Beit known that we, GEORGE F. RADCLIFFE and JOHN C. SLUTZ, citizens of the United States, residing in Kansas City, county of Wyandotte, and Stateof Kansas, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Car- Fenders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to improvements in car-fenders.

The object of our invention is to provide a car-fender which is simple in construction, easily and quickly operated,.not liable to get out-of order, and one which may be readily adapted to any of the ordinary types of streetcars.

In the construction employed by us the fender is of the scoop type-that is, the framework comprising the apron is of a scoop shape. The rear end of the apron is pivoted in bearings carried by the car and the front end is supported normally several inches above the track, mechanism hereinafter described being provided whereby the motorman may, as occasion requires, drop the forward end of the fender to the track.

Our invention comprises, further, certain novel details of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of our invention, Figure l represents a vertical sectional view. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation with a portion of the car broken away, so as better to disclose some of the fender mechanism. Fig. 3 represents a top view with some of the car and parts of the fender removed. Fig. 4. represents a top View of the catch-bar and a portion of the platform. Fig. 5 represents a vertical sectional view showing the modified form attached to a grip-car.

Fig. 6 represents a top view of the supplemental apron and rock bar or shaft G and some of the parts connected therewith. Fig. 7 represents a side elevation of what is shown in Fig. 6.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Owing to its lightness and comparative strength, I prefer to make the fender-frame of tubing.

A indicates the frame of the fender, which comprises ahorizontal section of piping which reachestransversely across the car-track and which is located some distance in front of the dashboard of the car. Rearwardly extending from eachouter end of this section is a horizontally-disposed arm of the same material, the rear ends, at some distance in the rear of the dashboard and in front of the forward truck-wheels,ybeing inwardly and upwardly turned, the eXtreme rear end being pivoted in a bearing B, secured to the under side of a longitudinal Stringer C, which forms part of the platform of the car.

Y D indicates the flooring of the car, and D the dashboard thereof.

E indicates a vertical post secured one at' each side of the frame A at its lower end, the upper end of the post Ebeing inwardly turned and pivotally fitted in a slot F of a forwardlyprojecting arm F', with which each end of a horizontal rock-shaft G is provided. The said rock-shaft G extends transversely across and under the car-platform, to which it is secured by means of the bearings I, which are secured, respectively, to the under side of the car-sills X near vthe forward end thereof. Near the center of the rock-shaft Gis formed therein a U-shaped crank-arm H, to which is pivoted the lower end of an upwardly-projecting catch-bar J, which extends upwardly through an opening provided therefor in the car-floor. The upper end of the catch-bar J is provided with atransverse opening in which is fitted one end of a link K, adapted to be seized with, the hand for the purpose of pulling the catch-bar upwardly and rocking the rock-shaft G, so as to elevate the forward end of the fender-frame A.

Secured to the upper side of the iioor D is a fiat plate M, which is provided with a slot in which the catch bar .I is vertically movable. The catch-bar is provided with a notch L in its rear edge, which is adapted when the catch-bar is raised to its highest position to engage the plate M at the rear end of the slot in the said plate. A curved spring N is secured to the under side of the car-iioor in such a position that it will bear against the forward edge of the catch-bar when the catch-bar is in the raised position and force the upper end of the said catch-bar rearwardly, so that the notch L therein will engage the plate M and IOO prevent the catch-bar from moving downwardly. In orderl to prevent the accidental displacement of the catch-bar when it is in the raised position and thus allow the fender to fall at its forward end, a small wedge R, adapted to fit into the slot in the plate M in front of the catch-bar when the notch in the catch-bar is engaged with the plate M, is provided. The wedge R may be made secure against loss by attaching it to the car, as by means of a chain P, secured at one end to the wedge and atthe other end to an eye O,which is secured to the dashboard.

Secured to the forward end of the fenderframe A, at a point over each track-rail W', is ashoe S, comprisingahorizontally-disposed plate having its forward end upwardly curved. The function of the shoes S is to guard the forward end of the fender against contact with guard-rails which are higher than the track-rails.

fender-frame A, near the center and rear ends, respectively, are two tubes U and V, which serve the functions of equaliZing-bars. A series of rods T connect the pipe U with the forward end of the fender-frame. A similar series of rods connect the two pipes U and V. These rods form a screen upon which may rest any object which is picked up by the fender. The rodsT may be replaced by ropes or wire-netting, if desired.

Two brace-wires Y are secured, respectively, to the rear ends of the upwardly-extending arms of the fender-frame A and pass thence to the vertical posts E, around which they are wound, and pass thence to the forward end of the fender-frame, to which the forward ends are secured.

In Fig. 5 We have illustrated a modification of our fender adapted to be used with gripcars of a cable-car system. In this form the notch L in the catch-bar J engages with the forward end of a horizontal slide-bolt R', which is longitudinally movable with respect to the carin openings provided in two upwardly-extending projections M and M2 upon the upper side of the plate M and to the rear of the slot therein, in which is located the catch-bar J. The slide-bolt R is provided near its front end and to the rear of the projection M with an annular flange, against which rests the forward end of a coil compression-spring N', which encircles the slidebolt and the rear end ofwhich has a bearing against the forward side of the projection M2. The slide-bolt is retracted from engagement with the notch in the rear edge of the catchbar J by means of a rod R2, the forward end of which is secured to the rear end of the slide-bolt and the rear end of which is secured to the forward end of a bell-crank lever R3,

' which is pivoted near its center to a plate R4,

which is secured to the car-floor.

To protect any person who is caught up by the fender from striking the front end of the car,we provide a supplemental fender. (Illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.) This supplemental fender may or may not be used in connection with the fender we have already described. When used in connection therewith, we prefer to have it raised and lowered conjointly with the main fender. In order to accomplish this, the forward end of each arm F of the rock-shaft G has pivotally secured to it one end of a rod G2, the other end of which is secured pivotally to a curved arm G3, which extends forwardly from each end of a transverse rock-bar G', which is pivotally mounted in bearings secured to the car-sills X forward of the rock-shaft G. The two armsG3 and the rock-bar G support a rope or wire netting G4, which is stretched between them.

In operating our invention the fender is carried in the raised position, as shown in Fig. 1. When it is desired to lower the forward end of the fender, the motorman or i car-driver kicks the catch-bar J forward, re- Connecting the two parallel sides of the` leasing it from engagement with the plate M and permitting the rock-shaft G to rock in a way such that the forward end of the fender will drop to or in close proximity to the track. Any obstacle struck by the fender when it is in the lowered position will be picked up by it and held from harm by the screenwork. In operating the form shown in Fig. 5 the gripman presses his foot upon the bell-crank lever at its rear end, thus causing a withdrawal of the slide-bolt from engagement with the catch-bar J. The forward end of the slide-bolt is rearwardly beveled, so that when the catch-bar is elevated it will be forced rearwardly Without difficulty.

Where the supplemental fender is used, it will be raised or lowered with the main fender, due to the connection between the arms G3 and the arm F. The wedge R is used only when the motorman is at the other end of the car, at which time the danger of the catch-bar J being released is the greatest.

The car may be provided at each end with our fenders, if desired, where both ends of the car are at times forward ends.

Many modifications of our invention may be made without departing from its spirit.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl In a car-fender the combination with the frame A pivotally supported at its rear end to the car, of the rock-shaft G provided with the crank-arm H and the arms F having the slots F, the posts E secured to the frame at one end and pivoted in the slots F at the other ends, the catch-bar J pivoted at one end to the crank-arm H, and a locking mechanism adapted to engage the catch-bar so as to prevent rocking of the shaft G, substantially as described.

2. In a car-fender, the combination with a frame provided with suitable screening and pivotally connected to the car at its rear end and free to swing up or down at its forward end, of a supplemental fender-frame pivot IOO IIO

ally connected to the car at its rear end and free to swing at its forward end, a rock-shaft pivotally supported in bearings carried by the car, means for swinging the two frames up or down when the rock-shaft is rocked in the proper direction, and a locking device for preventing the rock-shaft from rocking, substantially as described.

3. In a car-fender, the combination with a frame provided with suitable screening and pivotally connected to the car at its rear end and free to swing up or down at its forward end, of a supplemental fender-frame pivotally connected at its rear end to the car and free to swing up or down at its forward end, a rock-shaft provided with a crank-arm and pivotallysupported in bearings secured to the car below the floor thereof, a bar pivotally connected at its lower end to the said crank-arm and extending through the carioor and vertically movable therethrough, and means for swinging the two frames up or down when the said bar is moved up or down, substantially as described.

4. In a car-fender, the combination with a frame pivotally connected with the car, of a rock-shaf t provided with a central crank-arm and a crank-arm at each end, two posts connecting respectively the sides of the frame with the two end crank-arms, a catch-bar pivo ted at one end to the central crank-arm and extending therefrom to and through the carlicor, and a locking device for preventing vertical movement of the catch-bar, substantially as described.

5. In a car-fender, thecombination with a frame pivotally connected with the car, of a rock-shaft provided with a central crank-arm and a crank-arm at each end, two posts extending upwardly from the sides of the frame and pivotally connected at their upper ends with the two end crank-arms respectively, a catch-bar pivoted at one of its ends to the central crank-arm and extending therefrom to and through the car-floor and provided with a notch, and a locking device adapted to engage with the said notch for preventing vertical movement of the said catch-bar, substantially as described.

6. In a car-fender, the combination with a frame pivotally connected with the car, oa rock-shaft provided with a central crank-arm anda crank-arm at each end, two posts connected at their lower ends to the frame and at their upper ends pivotally connected to the two end crank-arms respectively, a catch-bar pivoted at one end to the central crankarm and provided with a notch, and a spring-actuated locking device adapted to engage the said notch for preventing vertical movement of the said catch-bar, substantially as `described.

7. In a car-fender, the combination with a frame pivotally connected with the car, of a rock-shaft provided with a central crank-arm and two end crank-arms, two posts extending upwardly one from each side of the frame and pivotally connected at' their upper ends with the two end crank-arms respectively, an upwardly-movable catch-bar pivoted at one end to the central crank-arm and extending to and through the car-floor, and a sliding bolt adapted to engage the catch-bar to prevent its downward movement, substantially as described. 1

In testimony whereof we aix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

. GEORGE F. RADCLIFFE.

JOI-IN C. SLUTZ. Witnesses:

WARREN D. I-IoUsE, M.' M. PIERCE. 

